The Obama administration has notified the US Congress that it plans to sell $60bn-worth of weaponry to Saudi Arabia in one of the largest ever single US arms deals.

The sales include 84 Boeing F-15 fighter jets, upgrades to 70 existing Saudi F-15s, 190 helicopters including 70 Boeing Apaches, 72 Black Hawks and 36 Little Birds. The deal has been in the making for several months and also includes missiles, bombs, delivery systems, night-vision goggles and radar warning systems.

The deal will allow Saudi Arabia to defend its borders and oil infrastructure from potential threats from Iran (MEED 1:8:10). Although Congress now has 30 days to block the deal, it is not likely to face any serious opposition.

“This proposed sale has tremendous significance from a strategic regional perspective,” said Andrew Shapiro, assistant secretary of state for political and military affairs at a State Department breifing.

“It will send a strong message to countries in the region that we are committed to support the security of our key partners and allies in the Arabian Gulf and broader Middle East.”

The F-15 is a fighter jet and the AH-64 is a twin-engine attack helicopter with a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. Saudi Arabia’s last significant US weapons purchase was 72 F-15s in 1992, a transaction valued at around $9 billion. The last planes in that contract were delivered in November 1999.